A SICK marksman is being hunted after a number of birds were found shot dead.

Police are appealing for information following the incidents, which have been carried out in the Maesincla area of Caernarfon over the past few weeks.

Gwynedd Council has also confirmed that the carcasses of two ducks were found floating in the lake at Parc y Dre after being shot.

Over the past few weeks, Paul ‘Trike’ Jones has found two dead house martins, a blue tit and a robin outside his home in Maesincla.

However, Mr Jones was infuriated when he found the body of a Dunlin with a pellet wound lying on a grass verge last Saturday night.

He said: “I didn’t think much of it initially when the dead birds started turning up.

“There is a grass verge outside my house and over the weeks I kept finding more or more carcasses there.

“I just thought they were just victims of cats or a fast freeze or something so I decided to dispose of them because I didn’t think it was a nice thing for children walking to and from school to have to witness.

“When the Dunlin turned up I noticed it had a wound on its chest, it looks as though it had been shot by an air rifle.

“It seems that whoever has done this has been targeting fledglings who have been oblivious to the danger.”

According to the Baltic marine environmental protection commission, the Dunlin is protected by the provision of the EU birds directive.

Mr Jones said he heard what sounded like a pellet shot late on Friday night before seeing the Dunlin “fall out of the air” on to the grass verge.

“I am totally disgusted, how someone could do this to such a beautiful and defenceless bird beggars belief,” added Mr Jones.

A Gwynedd Council spokesman said: “The park and its lake are monitored on a regular basis.

“The remains of two ducks were seen in the lake and it is believed that they may have been shot and we have notified the police regarding our concerns.”

A spokesman for the North Wales Police said: “We are aware of the incidents and will be looking into the matter.”

Anyone with any information about the incidents is urged to contact Caernarfon police station on (0845) 6071001 (Welsh) or (0845) 6071002 (English)